Wat Traimit

Buddha Statues can be found all over the world, but the largest Buddha statue that to be a Gold one is something to witness at least once in life. Located in Bangkok, Thailand, in Wat Traimit temple, the Golden Buddha is the highlight of the temple and the Chinatown district on Yaowarat Road where the temple is situated.

But the statue is not the only reason why the temple gets a large influx of visitors every year. Considered t be the most modest temple, Wat Traimit has a spiritual aura around its premise that fosters a calm relaxing feeling within the visitors and reinforces hopes in their hearts. It is also frequently visited by tourists to take in the natural beauty it possesses, elevating their trips and visiting by explorers to unveil the mystery behind this famous Buddha statue.

 

A brief history of Wat Traimit’s popular resident: The Large Gold Buddha

For Thai people, Wat Traimit is an important temple that is the epitome of modesty and piousness. And with the largest Gold Buddha known as the ‘Phra Buddha Maha Suwanna Patimakorn,’ the importance of this temple significantly increases.

This Gold Buddha statue is approximately 15 feet tall and is made up of 83% pure gold, making it around six tons heavy. This million-dollar statue is one of the prime reasons why people all around the world come to pay their respects. What people don’t know is that this statue dates back to the 13th century and has been hiding and cloaked in plaster and stucco for years.

It was hidden for years in an attempt by the Thai people to protect the statue from the prying eyes of Burmese armies who seek to invade their land. Also, thieves and looters were very active during the uncertain times and took any and everything they deemed valuable.

As for the cosmetic fixes with plaster and stucco is concerned it was done to mend the cracks the statue had amidst a mishap in 1955. But despite all the hiding, mending, and god knows what, the Statue now sits at the Wat Traimit Temple with pride and elevates the who marble structure of the temple exponentially.

 

A quick walkthrough of Wat Traimit temple

The fourth floor of the temple houses the Gold Buddha, while the third floor has an exquisite measure that tells the story of the Buddha statue in detail, from its construction to design to its complete journey to its throne in Wat Traimit temple in detail. As for the second floor, it has an impressive array of statues, scriptures, and painting that tells the tales of the Chinese community in Bangkok.

 

Things to known for the Wat Traimit Temple trip

A trip to Wat Traimit Temple is a definite must; the complete tour of the temple and the feeling the temple fosters is worth experiencing. The best way to end the Thailand trip is for sure to visit this temple. But there are few things to know prior to the trip.

COMMUTING OPTIONS

• The best commute to the temple is through Hua Lamphong train station in central Bangkok, which has a direct route to the Wat Traimit Temple in Chinatown.
• There are also private tours that can make all sorts of arrangements and provide various options for commuting.

WAT TRAIMIT TEMPLE ENTRY INFORMATION

• The Wat Traimit temple is opened every day from 8 am to 5 pm. However, the museum on the third floor is only accessible from Tuesday to Sunday from 8 am to 4 pm.
• The entry fee is around 100 BAHT per person for the museum and 40 BAHT extra to view the Gold Buddha Statue in person (close proximity).
• Modest attire is expected when visiting the temple, long-sleeved clothes and bottoms for all—no bare shoulders or legs. And for footwear easy to remove comfortable shoes are expected to be worn as in some regions of the temple, shoes are not allowed.
• Photography is allowed, but it is expected that it is done in an appropriate way—no extravagant shoots.